Coffee with Margaret Peterson Haddix

REMARKABLES reminds us that asking for help and forgiving others are not faults or weaknesses, but rather they are acts that help us become so resilient in life. Learn more about Margaret Peterson Haddix’s views on time travel, the unraveling of fate, and why it’s so important to be mindful of the present moment.

Q & A with Maura Jortner

When the JLG Editorial Team first shared their excitement over this middle school novel—a category that I wasn’t too familiar with—, you could tell there was something special about this story. Naturally, I wanted to learn more because I kept thinking to myself, “Can a novel meant for a middle school audience really be this powerful?”

The JLG Editorial Team was right—I couldn’t put this book down. It spoke to me in the ways that great literature speaks to all of us; I was united by its universal themes of love, suffering, grieving, and healing. No matter your age, every reader will find solace (and creative swearing) in Maura Jortner’s 102 Days of Lying About Lauren.

Honoring Disability Pride Month: How to Keep Your Library Accessible and Inclusive for Everyone

July is known as Disability Pride Month because it marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This law is meant to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities and discourage discrimination, however, people are still marginalized for their abilities or limitations. To help combat ableism and injustice, librarians across the nation strive to make a safe space where all people and communities can see themselves embodied in literature.

Q & A with Sacha Lamb

Sacha Lamb, an archivist, librarian, and author of When the Angels Left the Old Country, writes a queer, Jewish fantasy that transcends the concepts of identity, gender, and explores how both good and evil are necessary in our lives. When writing this story, they intended to combine all the literary elements that they love into one—and this ingenuity is what won the book a Stonewall, Sydney Taylor, and Printz Book Award!

Picking a Pulitzer

Stay True by Hua Hsu was the first JLG selection to win a Pulitzer Prize, and we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to learn more about how our editorial staff deemed it a JLG Gold Standard Selection. So, what exactly goes into picking a Pulitzer Prize? Dan, a member of our editorial staff, shares his journey… 

Q & A with Martin Lemelman

We spoke with Martin Lemelman, certified Florida Master Gardener, and—importantly—the author of the The Miracle Seed, for Jewish American Heritage Month. 

Do not miss this special blog where we learn more about Martin’s graphic novel, his thoughts on miracles, and how his parents taught him resilience by surviving the Holocaust.  

Q&A with Janice Chiang

To honor literature that is representative of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we chatted with Digital Artist, Janice Chiang about her recent project, Tokyo Rose: Zero Hour.

During our interview, Janice compares herself to the main character in the story, Iva, saying, "Just like Iva, I too have felt divided in half. When I started to search for my identity in this country, I realized I was in a position of strength—not weakness—to have two perspectives in life."

Read on to learn more about Janice Chiang and the different AAPI Month activities that you can get involved in! 

Q & A with Andrew Aydin

To honor the anniversary of Selma’s Bloody Sunday, a nonviolent march during the Civil Rights Movement, we sat down and spoke with JLG author, Andrew Aydin. We first met Aydin at ALA in 2022; he was gregarious, genuine, and found a way to connect with each attendee on a personal and professional level. He spoke openly and humbly, sharing his experiences with Congressman John Lewis, a champion for human rights and one of the “Big Six” leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.

Honoring Women Authors on International Women’s Day!

To celebrate women authors and their allies, we interviewed members of JLG team to learn more about their favorite women authors and characters—expect some wild Q and A from these book worms!

Celebrating Black History Month: The Power of Literacy and the Price for Freedom

Did you know that the abolition of slavery and importance of literacy education go hand in hand? Enslaved Africans and African Americans used their reading and writing skills to win and defend their freedom. Read on to learn more about the ways in which literacy helped to end slavery in the United States and how we can continue to empower diverse voices in our book collections.  

Meet the Newest Member of the JLG Editorial Team

One of the most unique aspects of Junior Library Guild is our Editorial Team. We are committed to bringing the best new books to young readers, but how exactly do we do that? The Editorial Team reads thousands of manuscripts every year and chooses the best new books based on a wide variety of criteria. They then sort these books into our categories, and we work with our publishers to bring them right to the shelves of our members.